sin

  • Children's drama on Forgiving and blessing others

    Children’s Sermon – Passing on God’s forgiveness / blessings.

    (Gospel text: Parable of the Unmerciful servant Matthew 18: 21-35

    ((Consider doing a simple dramatic representation of the Parable.  Read out a paraphrased version of the text as it is acted out. Though this may take some prior preparation it could be a lot of fun)) - However, here is an alternative:

     
    Children’s message idea: The idea is that in order for us to stand in flow of God’s forgiveness and blessing we need to be extending that forgiveness and blessing to others. (This will be my angle on the parable of the unmerciful servant. )
    - Ask the children get in a line. Find some objects that can represent God’s forgiveness / blessings. (Boxes, balls, etc)  Have the children pass them down the line (like a bucket brigade). Explain how we need to receive God’s blessings and we also need to pass them on to others. Demonstrate how withholding God’s blessings / forgiveness not only deprives others but also stops the flow of God’s blessings / forgiveness to us.
     
    Objects Lesson props: Something you designate as representing God’s forgiveness and/or God’s blessings: A number of large boxes, some soccer balls, etc. (With a large item it will be obvious they the children cannot receive a new a blessing / forgiveness without passing on the blessing / forgiveness they already have.
     
    Full Children’s message: (coming later this evening!

  • Children's object lesson on Repentance

    Children's object lesson on Repentance

  • Children's object lesson Video on Repentance

    Children's object lesson on Repentance

     

  • Children's sermon - Temptation in the wilderness

     

    Children's Church lesson: Temptation in the Wilderness


           Luke 4:1-13 Yes to God - No to Satan / Sin  - LENT


    Basic Children's sermon idea:Tell the children about the importance of saying NO to sin. Make up YES and a NO signs on cardboard. Present some situations to the children and ask them to respond (Yes or No) in unison. Highlight the importance of firmly saying “NO!” to what we know to be wrong.
     
    Objects needed: A piece of cardboard with the word “YES.” And a piece of cardboard with the word “NO!”
     
    Full children’s sermon:
    Good morning children. Today our bible reading is about the time when Jesus was in the wilderness being tempted by Satan. Jesus knew it was important to say YES to God the Father’s truth in the bible but that he needed to say NO to Satan. As followers of Jesus it is important for us to say YES to God and NO to what is not of God. I’ll show you what I mean. I brought two signs with me today. What does this sign say? (Hold up the YES sign) That’s right, it says yes. I’m going to hold the sign up again and let’s say it all together loudly – YES! Good. Now, let’s use our imagination:
     
    -If you’re parents asked you to help them bring in the groceries from the car it would be good to say…(Hold up the YES sign) YES! …That’s right. Say it loudly.
    -If you felt God was asking you to help encourage your friend who was sad, it would be good to say….YES.
    (Give some more situations)
     
    Now I want to tell you about using another word. (Hold us the NO! sign) It’s the word “No.” Sometimes we are tempted to do things that are wrong. At those times it’s important to use the word NO. Let’s practice saying this word all together like we really mean it. (Hold up the sign…) NO! – That’s great.
     
    -What if you were in a candy store and someone said to steal a candy off the shelf. What should we say? (Hold up the NO sign) NO! – Good! That’s the right thing to say.
    - What if you were walking home from school and a stranger said “come into my care I have a special gift for you.” What would you say…NO! (I agree, that is the smart thing to say)
    - What if someone said, “Let’s go over there and make fun of that person over there?” What are you going to say? (Hold up the NO! sign). Well done. That’s the right word to use when we are being tempted to do something we shouldn’t do.
     
    (Get the congregation to give them a cheer for giving such wise answers)
     
    Children. I want you to know that those two words; YES and NO, are very important words. When God leading us in the way he wants us to go we always want to say YES. However, when we are tempted to do something that’s wrong we want to say NO! That word can help us stay out of trouble and can help us follow Jesus.
     
    Children’s prayer: Thank you God that Jesus always said NO to Satan and his ways, and YES to you and your ways in times of temptation. Help us to always say yes to you and to have the courage to say NO! to Satan and his ways that so often lead us into danger. In Jesus Name, Amen!

    Copyright sundaychildrensfocus.com   Andrew Hewlett   Feel free to use this story on Sunday morning but please give credit to Sundaychildrensfocus.com and consider linking to this site. Thank you -- A.H.





    Sorry - couldn't resist inserting this picture: Lead us not into temptation!

  • Children's sermon on spiritual blindness

    Children`s sermon – Spiritual Blindness  John 9: 1- 41  

     Spiritual blindness
    Kids sermon idea: Show the children a pair of dark welding goggles and let them try them on. They can`t see things that would normally be easy to see. Explain how some people in the bible could not “see” or understand the light and love of Jesus. It was like they were wearing dark sunglasses making them blind to the things of God. Thank God that although we can’t see Jesus physically he has helped us to understand, know and “see” the real Jesus.
     
    (I realize the idea of spiritual sight will not be grasped by all the children.)
     
    Kids Object lesson props: Welding goggles or very dark sun glasses (used for mountain climbing)
    If you can’t find any you could get an old pair of sunglasses and darken them up with paint or a felt pen marker.
     
    Children’s Sermon: Good morning children! Look at these special glasses I brought in this morning. They are special glasses used by people who work with very bright fire. Would you like to try them on?
    Great! They look good on you Sally. Now, I’d like you to look over there on the front row. Can you tell me what colour sweater Mrs. Jones is wearing? No. It’s very hard to tell because the glasses are so bright. When you wear these glasses it’s almost like being blind. (Let some other children try.)
     
    In our Bible reading today from John’s gospel there were people who just couldn’t understand Jesus and his love and power. Even when Jesus did something wonderful like healing a blind man some people became very angry at him. They did not want to believe in him. It was like they were blind to understanding Jesus. Yes they could see him with there eyes but it was like their “understanding eyes” were blind as if they were wearing these dark glasses.
     
    The good news is that although we cannot see Jesus today with our eyes we can know his love and his life. The Holy Spirit of God has helped us to know Jesus so that we are no longer blind to his life and love.
     
    Children’s Prayer: Dear God, thank you that we are no longer blind to Jesus and his love. Help us to know him more and more each day. In Jesus’ name – Amen!
     
    Copyright 2011 Sundaychildrensfocus.com Andrew Hewlett   Feel free to use this story on Sunday morning but please give credit to Sunday Children’s focus and consider linking and / or donating to this sight. Thank you. A.H.

  • Clean and Unclean



    Sunday school story: Clean and Unclean– Mark 7 (Religious traditions and God’s commandment. )

     
    Object lesson props: Cup, dirt, water, cloth for cleaning,
     
    Gospel Story: Good Morning Children. This Sunday’s bible reading is about being “clean and unclean.” Some very religious people came to Jesus and asked him why his disciples did not do the special ceremonial washings that they did. (You might want to clarify that this is not really about basic sanitation.) It’s good to wash you hands but these religious leaders cared so much about doing special, fancy hand washing that they forgot about making sure they were clean on the inside – clean in their hearts! We can be nice and clean on the outside but if we have anger, jealousy, bitterness and hatred in our lives then we are really pretty unclean on the inside. Do you see this nice cup that I brought in this morning? I want you all to look inside now and tell me what you see. (Make sure there is some dirt and mud in the bottom). Yuck. It’s pretty dirty and messy. Now I’m going to pour in some water. And I’m going to stir it around. Who would like a drink of this? No? I don’t blame you. It is certainly unclean on the inside. But what if I get this nice clean cloth and clean up the outside of this cup. (Carefully wipe up the outside of the cup). It’s pretty clean now. Do you want to drink some now? (Let them respond) Perhaps if I use this fancy wiping motion that I learned from my grandfather. (Demonstrate a ridiculously fancy cleaning procedure). Wow! That must have really helped. Do you want to drink what is inside the cup now? No! How about if I use this very fancy towel that is hand embroidered – it’s very beautiful. You still don’t want to drink what is inside? Well, you are right. No matter what special hand motion or fancy towels you use it is still pretty yucky water on the inside.
    TRANSITION: Kids – Our lives can be a little like this cup. If we have the dirt of bitterness, greed, anger and jealously on the inside of our lives, making ourselves look good on the outside doesn’t help much. We could do many things that would make us look very religious but if we didn’t change on the inside it wouldn’t be very pleasing to God who knows everything about us.
     
    Pray: Dear God. We know that you want us to be clean on the inside our lives.
    Help us to forgive others that have done wrong to us. Help us to get rid of bitterness and anger and selfishness that can make us unclean on the inside. Thank you for giving us the example of Jesus and thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to help us live the way you want us to live. Help us to walk in the love of Jesus Christ and share that love to others. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen!
     
    Copyright Andrew Hewlett 2009 and Sundaychildrensfocus.com  

    Feel free to use this story on Sunday Morning but please give credit to Sundaychildrensfocus.com and consider making a link to this page. A.H.  and please "like" this page!

     

  • Clean on the inside

    Children’s sermon: Clean on the inside.


    This children’s object lessonis based on Jesus’ teaching in Mark 7 regarding what makes a person unclean. (Lectionary – Trinity 12)
    Jesus clean inside
     
    Object lesson props: Plastic tub with soap, water and a towel
     
    Children’s Lesson: Good Morning Children. Look what I have here this morning. I’ve got a big tub of soapy water so I can wash my hands. (Set the water down in front of the children and begin washing your hands. Ask if any of them need to clean their hands as well. Dry off your hands.) Cleaning our hands is an important thing to do because it washes away dirt and germs that we can’t even see. However, in our bible reading this morning in the Gospel of Mark (chapter 7) Jesus talked to some of the religious leaders about washing hands and it turns out that they were more concerned about having clean hands than they were about having clean hearts! It’s good to have clean hands but God is far more concerned about what we are like on the inside. What is most important is to clean up is the things that make us dirty on the inside (selfishness, pride, unforgiveness, bitterness, etc). Having a shower or a bath won’t clean us on the inside. There are things we can do to help us be clean on the inside. If we have bitterness towards another person we can ask God to help us forgive them. If we have done something wrong we can ask God for forgiveness. If we are having trouble following Jesus we can ask the Holy Spirit to help us. In this way God will help us be clean on the inside and not just the outside.
     
    Pray: Dear God, help us to be clean on the outside and the inside of our lives. Thank you for the complete cleansing and forgiveness that we have through your son Jesus Christ. Fill us with your Holy Spirit so we can be clean on the inside and live lives pleasing to you. In Jesus name. Amen!
     
    Copyright Andrew Hewlett Sundaychildrensfocus.com Feel free to use this story on Sunday morning but please give credit to SundayChildrensFocus.com and consider linking to this site. Blessings, A.H.

     

     

  • Kids Gospel Talk - God forgets our sins

    Kids Object Lesson: “God Forgets Our Sins!”

    Bible Verse: Hebrews 10:17 - “Then he adds: ‘Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.’”

    Main Point: When we confess our sins, God forgives us and actually forgets our sins! Because of Jesus, God doesn’t remember the wrong things we’ve done.

    Materials Needed:

    • A handful of sticky notes (Post-its)
    • A calendar or planner (optional: use a phone calendar if it’s easier)
    • A piece of string or rubber band for each child to put on their finger

    Lesson Outline:

    1. Introduce the Idea of Forgetting Things
      • Show the sticky notes and say, “Sometimes we have a lot of things to remember, right? Like homework, chores, or something we promised to do.”
      • Write down “chores,” “homework,” and “promise” on the sticky notes, sticking them to your shirt or hand to show you “remember.”
      • Ask the kids: “Do you ever forget things, even when you try to remember them?” (let them respond)
    2. Use the Calendar or Planner to Show Memory Aids
      • Show the calendar or planner and explain, “Sometimes we write things down so we won’t forget, like appointments or birthdays. Or we might tie a string around our finger as a reminder.”
      • Give each child a small piece of string or a rubber band to put on their finger, saying, “This is a reminder! Sometimes, even when we try our hardest, we still forget things.”
    3. Explain How God ‘Forgets’ Our Sins
      • Say: “Did you know that God chooses to forget something too? (You could ask if they know what He forgets) When we tell God we’re sorry for something wrong we’ve done wrong (what the bible calls sin) and ask Jesus to forgive us, God forgets our sin!” – How amazing is that. He choses to forget our sin!
      • Stick a few sticky notes on yourself with the word “sin” written on them. Explain that these represent the wrong things we do.
      • Say: “These sins “stick to us” sometimes, and we might remember them. But when we say we’re sorry and ask God to forgive us, because of Jesus, He ‘takes off’ these sins and chooses to never remember them again.” Remove the sticky notes and throw them away (or crumple them up).
    4. Illustrate ‘God’s Forgetfulness’
      • Emphasize, “God’s forgetting isn’t like when we forget to do something. God actually chooses to forget our sins! He doesn’t hold them against us anymore. Because Jesus took the punishment for our sins, we don’t have to carry them, and God doesn’t remember them.”
    5. Connect It to Jesus’ Sacrifice
      • Say: “Because Jesus died for us, He paid the price for all the things we do wrong. That’s why God can truly forget our sins. Jesus has taken care of them completely!” How wonderful is that?!
    6. Prayer
      • Encourage the kids to think of something they want to say “sorry” to God for, then take a moment for silent prayer.
      • Close with a prayer thanking Jesus for taking away our sins and asking God to help us remember His love and forgiveness.

    Optional Memory Verse Activity

    • Have the kids memorize Hebrews 10:17 by repeating, “God says, ‘I will remember their sins no more.’” Let them keep the string on their finger as a reminder that God forgets our sins because of Jesus’ love and sacrifice.

    Children’s Prayer: Dear God, thank you that because Jesus we can be forgiven and you will forget our sins. Help us to remember that good new always -  In Jesus’ name – Amen!

    This lesson helps kids understand God’s amazing forgiveness in a tangible way, showing that when we confess our sins, God remembers them no more

    Copyright SundayChildrensFocus 2024 Feel free to use this but please give credit to this we site. Thank you    A.H.

  • Sermon for kids on Running the Race set before us

    Children’s Sermon: Run the Race set before us Hebrews 11 and 12

    “Let us set aside the weight of sin and run the race set before us”    Laughing

    Children’s sermon idea:  Have someone come in dressed up like a jogger / runner. However, they are also carrying a heavy back pack, a suitcase, a bag around the neck, etc. Have a fun interview with the runner and help them realize that they need to “set aside” the things that are weighing them down. Explain to the young people that carrying around sins (explain this a bit) will weigh us down in the Christian race.  (We want to live our lives God’s way but when we do sin, and do wrong things, we can repent, ask forgiveness and “set aside” our sins so we can run in freedom.)

    Objects / People needed:  Someone willing to dress up like a jogger. A backpack, suitcase and impractical items to carry around. (Have some fun with this: some old rotten thing, something representing past sins, etc)    Option: label the various items with signs: unforgiveness, selfishness, greed, etc.

    Full Children’s lesson:   Good morning children! Look who is coming up front here. It’s Mr. Johnston. What does it look like he is doing? That’s right, by looking at his running shoes and shorts it sure seems like he is going on a race. Let’s ask him. Mr. Johnston, what are you doing today? (Have some fun with this). But why are you carrying these heavy loads? Isn’t it hard carrying those heavy things and trying to run at the same time? Why don’t you just put them down and let them go? (You could prime your runner with various responses such as, “That’s just part of who I am” or “I’m used to carrying these around everywhere” etc.) Ask the children if this makes sense. What do they think he should do if he wants to do well in the race? Your volunteer runner could put down the weights and then exclaim how much better it feels.

    Debrief with the children: Wow, I’m sure glad Mr. Johnstone got rid of all that weight. Otherwise I think he would get tired and frustrated. I don’t even think he would be able to finish the race.

    The Bible says in Hebrews 12 verse 1 that if we are going do well in our Christian lives (win the race) we need to get rid of all those bad things that weigh us down. Whenever we sin (do what we know God doesn’t want us to do) then it’s like we are carrying a heavy weight that slows us down. So let’s try to do what God wants us to do so that we are not carrying around a heavy weight of sin. Of course, the good news is that when we ask forgiveness for the things we’ve done wrong, God forgives us takes away that heavy weight.

    Children’s Prayer: Dear God, help us to put off all those sinful things in life that just weigh us down and slow us down. Thank you that through Jesus we can be forgiven and we can walk (and run) right beside you every day of our lives. In Jesus’ name – Amen!

    Copyright 2016 Sundaychildrensfocus - Andrew Hewlett   Feel free to use this on Sunday. If you post it on the web please give credit to Sunday Childrens Focus and consider linking to this web site. Thank you!  - A.H.